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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wake — a trail
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. swing — in golf
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com